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About Shoreline Area News

We are Shoreline and Lake Forest Park residents who strive to provide you with news and information about the area in which we live and work. We cover Shoreline, Lake Forest Park, and some events and destinations in surrounding areas.

Fundraising Chair Samantha Branca says, "We are trying to collect a book to give away to each student in our school during our Read-a-thon in September to get the kids excited about reading."

They are collecting new and gently used books for kids in grades K-6 but really need more books for kids in grades 3-6 (age 8-12).

The book drive runs until September 15th. There are drop points for book donations at the Shoreline Farmer's Market on Saturday next to the info booth and at Third Place Commons (every day) next to the info booth at Third Place Books.

The Shoreline Farmers Market is held on the upper level of Aurora Square, outside of Sears and Central Market. Third Place Books is on the upper level of Town Center at the intersection of Bothell and Ballinger Way in Lake Forest Park.

Washington State Department of Health is urging recreational shellfish harvesters to take extra precautions and check, chill, and cook – the Three Cs – over the Labor Day weekend and into September.

The combination of hot weather, low tides, and little rain have contributed to more than 10 reports of vibriosis illnesses from people who ate raw or undercooked oysters they collected themselves.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus bacteria is found naturally in the environment and thrives in warm temperatures.

“The shellfish industry follows special control measures during the summer months to keep people who choose to eat raw oysters from getting sick.

"For those who enjoy collecting and consuming their own shellfish, it’s important that they follow a few simple measures to stay healthy,” said Rick Porso, director of the Office of Environmental Health and Safety.

Before heading to the beach, people who gather their own shellfish should check the DOH Shellfish Safety Map to determine if any areas are closed. Shellfish gathered from open and approved areas should be harvested as the tide goes out, chilled as soon as possible, and cooked at 145 F for 15 seconds to destroy Vibrio bacteria.

Vibriosis symptoms include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, vomiting, headache, fever, and chills. The illness is usually mild or moderate and runs its course in two to three days.

We recently learned through our neighborhood grapevine that a cat matching our missing cat’s description was found dead at the Berean Church, 185th and 1st NE. She had been missing for less than 12 hours.

The pastor found her Friday morning and called Animal Control. Before Animal Control could retrieve her, an unknown person removed her to an unknown location, probably the nearest garbage can, without making any apparent effort to locate her human(s).

Our cat didn't have a collar on but she was chipped and licensed. Had her body been left for Animal Control to pick up, they would have scanned her and notified us.

Had her body not been "disappeared" we could have seen her one last time and possibly determined what befell her. At the very least, we could have brought her home and buried her where she lived and was loved.

So if you find a dead animal with no collar, CALL ANIMAL CONTROL and secure the animal for safekeeping until they arrive. Don't assume it's a stray and don't treat it like garbage even if it does turn out to be a stray.

Consider the possibility that its human doesn't even know it's been killed and is looking for it. If it's injured and you can't find its human, CALL ANIMAL CONTROL and secure the animal until they arrive. If you're like many of us, you'll take the animal to the closest vet who will scan it for a chip and notify its human(s).

Whatever you do, DON'T throw a dead animal in the garbage! Odds are, that's someone's beloved pet and they'll be heartbroken when they learn their furbaby has died - but even worse is having a beloved pet just disappear without knowing what happened.

Northbound I-5 drivers can use the 220th Street Southwest exit to loop around onto southbound I-5 to come back and access SR 104. Travelers trying to get on northbound I-5 from SR 104 will get on southbound I-5 and use the Northeast 175th Street exit to turn around.

The American Legion Post 227 in Shoreline will hold their monthly meeting on Tuesday evening, September 5, 2017. At 6:00pm, a light meal will be served for post members and post affiliates.

The public is invited to attend the program, which begins at 6:40pm.

The 2017 winner of the Life Changer Award will be recognized. The boys who were sponsored by the Post 227 will speak of their experiences at Washington Boys State. There will be time for questions at the end.

A short break will follow the Boys State presentation, during which guests can depart. Post members are asked to remain for the business meeting following the break.

The meeting will be held at Post 227, located at 14521 17th Ave NE, Shoreline 98155 (on the street behind Goodwill). All military veterans, guests and people in the community are welcome to attend the program.

While at the Post, you can check out the Post library that contains many militarily related books, video tapes and DVDs. People in the community can borrow, use and return any of these items at no charge. They are encouraged to stay for the program as well. Post 227 members look forward to seeing you on September 5.

Fall and Winter are the perfect seasons to prepare for an abundant, eco-friendly, and water-saving gardening season next year!

North City Water District is hosting a workshop on Fall and Winter Garden Strategies

Thursday Sept. 21, 2017

6:30–8:00 pm

at North City Water District

1519 NE 177th Street in Shoreline

Ladd Smith will teach Fall gardening practices that will minimize Spring gardening labor — from creating healthy soil, planting to take advantage of the fall and winter rains, and redirecting stormwater in the winter for garden use, to getting rid of pests using non-pesticide options.

Establishing a good foundation during the Fall and Winter seasons will increase your gardening pleasure next year, while reducing your gardening chores and water use.

This class is free, but you must register to attend. Send an email or call the main office at 206-362-8100.

Ladd Smith

About The Presenter:

In 1994, Ladd Smith co-founded In Harmony Sustainable Landscapes in Bothell with his business partner Mark Gile, based on their life-long shared passion for protecting the environment.

Ladd is a graduate from University of Nevada in Reno with a BS degree in Ornamental Horticulture.

He has more than 25 years’ experience as a professional horticulturist, and a sought after speaker on various organic landscaping topics.

Tropical storm Harvey from the International Space StationPhoto from NASA

From Carl Lunak, Emergency Manager

Northshore Emergency Management Coalition

In response to numerous inquiries from our community Northshore Emergency Management Coalition is providing the following recommendations for relief donations for those impacted by Hurricane Harvey.

Red Cross: The Red Cross depends on financial donations to help provide immediate relief. Text the word HARVEY to 90999 to make a $10 donation. You can also visit redcross.org or call 1- 800-RED CROSS.

United Way: text UWFLOOD to 41444 to donate to the United Way Flood Relief Fund.

Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Danish dahlia lover Pernille Højsgaard in front of some of the displays.
Photo by Martin Král

By Martin Král

Irish Blackheart
Sandy and Steve Boley

Our PSDA dahlia show at Sky Nursery this last weekend (see previous article) was a resounding success!

We had more entries than in the past two years, despite a late planting period.

The response from exhibitors was altogether remarkable. Our Challenge Flower was Irish Blackhart by Birch Bay growers Sandy and Steve Boley. There were at least 50 of this striking new dark red-white dahlia on display.

The public also came in great numbers to Sky to take in the colorful sights. The show much impressed the visiting presidents of the Swedish and the Danish dahlia societies.

The two Scandinavian presidents and Pernille (of the Danish society) came specifically to see our show and to visit as many dahlia gardens as they could in one week.

Bloodworks Northwest has already sent emergency shipments of blood components to Texas.

Units from Bloodworks were among the first to reach flood-ravaged Houston over the weekend.

“While our primary mission supports local patients, when catastrophes happen we do whatever we can to help -- even when local supplies are as tight as they’ve been in recent weeks,”

James P. AuBuchon, MD, president and CEO of Bloodworks said, “It is our amazing donors who make it possible.”

“We’re asking local donors who have not donated recently -- regulars and first-timers -- to help us restore local inventories by donating this week,” AuBuchon said.

“Having seen the images from Houston, we need to be ready to respond if additional shipments to Texas are needed in the days and weeks ahead to help people recover from the devastation caused by Harvey and its aftermath.”

As we all begin to wind down our summer fun and fall into a season of shorter days and cooler temperatures, Third Place Commons will ease your transition this month with a variety of fun and engaging programs.

Alisa Milner and Ian McFeron

The Commons will start the month with an ending of sorts, the finale of the summertime folk, country, and Americana music series, The Sounds of the Season.

On Friday, September 1st, the series will end on a high note with the return of Lake Forest Park’s favorite wandering troubadour, Ian McFeron.

Many folks will remember that Shorecrest High grad McFeron was the keynote speaker at the Commons’ annual community breakfast last winter where he touched everyone with his heartfelt words.

The Ian McFeron Band (which also features McFeron’s wife and fellow Shorecrest alumna Alisa Milner) has recorded eight studio albums and toured extensively around the country and even internationally. McFeron – who has shared a stage with musical heavy hitters including Patty Griffin, Sister Hazel, Shawn Mullins, and Brandi Carlile among others – brings his soulful warmth to a musical tour through folky-pop Americana this Friday, Sept. 1 at 7:30 PM.

Cami Ostman

On Saturday, September 23rd starting at 10am, the Commons will offer up something truly special for writers in the community when writing coach Cami Ostman serves up a free, full day workshop for writers.

The Get Your Book Done: Writers' Retreat will help you find out why your story is important and needs to be written. Learn how to overcome the four stumbling blocks writers face, calm your inner critic, and stay inspired to finish your book. Like every event at the Commons, the workshop is free, but registration is requested for planning purposes.

Looking for another way to be creative? Want to get some firsthand experience with the always beloved, but newly refinished wooden tables? Drop by on Saturday, September 2nd from 10am to 4pm for the monthly Commons Art-In when visual artists of all media and experience levels gather at the wooden tables to create together. Or chill out with new friends by heading to the tables for the stress relief fun of Coloring for Adults on September 26th (and every 4th Tuesday) from 5:30 to 7:30pm.

Or enjoy the freshly renovated Stadler Meeting Room by stopping into one of the weekly foreign language conversation groups. French conversation takes place on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 7pm and the Spanish language group meets on Thursdays at the same time. Both groups welcome speakers of all levels and will be delighted if you come by to say “Bonjour!” or “¡Hola!” German and Turkish groups also meet during the month and a new Irish study and discussion group is just around the corner, so check the calendar.

Of course, the month is jam-packed with other great programs as well, like live music every Friday and Saturday night (dancers welcome!), a special day of talented student musician recitals on September 16th, and the welcome return after a summer break of Kaleidoscope Play and Learn sessions for little ones and their caregivers every Thursday morning at 10:30.

Well Fed FarmsPhoto by Jerry Pickard

And yes, the fabulous Lake Forest Park Farmers Market continues every Sunday from 10-3 through October 15th, which means you can also enjoy your favorite healthy, farm-fresh food and locally made treats all month long.

Events at Third Place Commons are always free and open to the public. So be sure to check the Commons calendar and join in the fun!

Third Place Commons is a community-supported, 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to creating real community in real space.

It is located at 17171 Bothell Way NE in Lake Forest Park Town Center.

Seattle Humane is prepared to take in up to 300 pets (200 cats/100 dogs) from animal rescue organizations in Texas following Hurricane Harvey that left thousands of families and their pets stranded.

This effort is to relieve overcrowding and open up space and resources for pets displaced by the storm, and for those in need of temporary housing while their owners reside in evacuation shelters.

Seattle Humane will not take in pets separated from their owners in the disaster.

Wings of Rescue will transport shelter pets from Texas to Boeing Field on Wednesday, August 30, 2017 at 2:45pm where Seattle Humane staff and volunteers, along with several other local shelters, will be waiting to receive the animals.

The Seattle Humane team will transport pets to our shelter in Bellevue where they will be placed for adoption. This is the first of several expected flights to Seattle to help shelters that are directly housing displaced pets outside of Houston.

Seattle Humane is organizing an emergency foster care orientation for prospective volunteers who can temporarily house pets currently in our care to create more space for animals flying in from Texas. Email for more information.

Approximately 200 feet of 8th Ave NW in both directions will be closed south of Richmond Beach Rd NW, including the right turn from Innis Arden Drive NW onto 8th Ave NW, between 8:00am and 5:00pm Tuesday, September 5 through Thursday, September 7.

This work is being done to replace a severely failed section of concrete stormwater pipe crossing 8th Ave NW south of Richmond Beach Road. Overall poor conditions of this pipe warrant complete structure-to-structure replacement.

Detour routes will be signed along 3rd Ave NW and NW 185th St. 8th Ave NW will be re-opened in both directions on Tuesday September 5 and Wednesday September 6 from 5:00pm to 8:00am the following morning using steel plates to cover work areas.

A Shoreline motorcyclist who posted a YouTube video of an unpleasant encounter with a King County Sheriff's deputy during what turned out to be a traffic stop, will now be part of training for new officers.

King County Sheriff John Urquhart, in an interview on KIRO FM 97.3, said that the video (see it here) will be shown to all current officers, then used as part of the training for new officers as an example of what not to do.

The video, shot on August 16, 2017 from a helmet camera, shows the motorcyclist, Alex Randall, driving in traffic on N 145th, then coming to a stop at the red light. After a few moments, an angry man in plain clothes, holding a gun tightly against his chest, confronts Randall.

The man, who turned out to be a sheriff's deputy, shows no ID, refuses to allow Randall to pull to the side of the road, turn off his bike, or remove his helmet, even though Randall says he can't hear through his helmet.

Eventually the man put the gun away, identified himself as a police officer, and claimed that the motorcyclist was going 100 mph. The motorcyclist then is able to turn and sees that the unmarked car behind him has flashing lights inside the vehicle.

A garage fire in the 40xx block of NE 196th St in Lake Forest Park at 1:45am Monday morning meant the temporary evacuation of several neighboring houses.

Neighbors who called in the fire stated that they heard "explosions" and saw flames.

Residents - and a large, fluffy dog - were temporarily
out of their homes until the fire was under control.
Photo by Jacob Kimerer

Everyone got out safely as the fire consumed the detached garage. Several neighboring houses were evacuated as a precaution.

Northshore Fire, assisted by Shoreline Fire, quickly extinguished the blaze and residents were allowed back into their homes.

Battalion Chief stated that the detached garage was a total loss.

The specific cause was the improper disposal of rags that had been used to apply wood preservative to a deck. The preservative was susceptible to spontaneous ignition. The explosions that were heard were most likely from 2 propane tanks and a few aerosol cans that were in the garage. The estimated damage was $50,000.